Gold Rush: A new “Behind the Scenes Special” episode shows fans how four film crews, spread out over some 600 miles, cope with everything the wilderness can throw at them to capture footage for this unscripted series (9 p.m. Discovery).

SPECIALS

Wait, Wait... Don’t Tell Me! A Royal Pain in the News: The NPR quiz show comes to TV in a special tied to the year’s biggest news stories, with host Peter Sagal, Carl Kasell, Paula Poundstone, Alonzo Bodden and British stand-up Phill Jupitus. Also: Author Neil Gaiman (“The Sandman”) plays the three-question multiple choice quiz (5 and 8 p.m. BBC America).Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special: The ventriloquist brings his cast of characters (Bubba J, Walter, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, and Peanut) to this holiday special (8 p.m. Comedy Central).Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation: On Christmas Eve, the boys (Vincent Martella and Thomas Sangster) are hard at work turning Danville into a shimmering thank-you card to Santa Claus (8:30 p.m. ABC).Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir: This 2011 holiday program combines dancing, musical performances and storytelling. Featuring David Archuleta and Michael York (9 p.m. KOCE).

Top 10 Weddings of 2011: Prince William and Kate’s royal fairy tale top the list but that wasn’t the only celebrity wedding this year (10 p.m. TLC).MOVIES

The Night Before the Night Before Christmas: The head elf at the North Pole accidentally kick-starts Christmas a day early. Jennifer Beals and Rick Roberts star in this 2010 family fantasy (10 p.m. Hallmark).